Projecting the Rest of the Mens BB Season

The Sooners Mens team is 15-5, with losses to undefeated Memphis and Kansas, at USC, home against K-State, and home against Stephen Freaking Austin. Every game played against a team that presently has four losses or less has resulted in a notch in the L column for the Sooners. Extending that theory out, we would...

Lose At TAMU
Lose hostingTexas
Win at CU
Win hosting ISU
Win at TT
Win hosting Baylor
Lose at Texas
Win at Nebraska
Lose hosting TAMU
Win at Oklahoma State
Win hosting Mizzou

That would leave the Sooners with a 21-9 record, going 9-5 in conference play. Winning in Lubbock and Stillwater is a bit optimistic, but losing to TAMU in Norman is equally less predicatble. If the above holds form, the Sooners would likely have a first round bye in the Big 12 tourney, and likely at least one W in the conference tourney. Sagarin rates the Big 12 as the second best conference right now. So, we're looking at 22-10 going into Selection Sunday, with an over .500 record in a premier conference.

I like the Sooners chances of making the NCAAs with that, and I have to admit I wouldn't have expected that at the beginning of the season.

If you're interested in how a host of different computer rankings rate the Sooners, check out Kenneth Massey's site at http://www.mratings.com/cb/compare.htm

Math, the Boone State Way

Today, we learned that Boone State will not sell individual tickets to the Boone State vs LandThieves game next season. To obtain a ticket for that game, you must purchase a season ticket. If one reads the entire riveting article, you learn that Okie State is basing this off of the Iowa State Cyclone's success with a similar "promotion" with their intrastate rival Iowa.

So, here's the tricky part. I Got Beat by Kent State University saw ticket sales increase 30 percent. Earlier in the release it mentions season ticket sales increased from "about 30,000" to 36,000.

Well, the HeadThief, being an accounant and all, thought a jump from 30,ooo to 36,000 would be a 20% increase. Who knew?

Anywho, Mike Baldwin of the Daily Oklahoman believes this will result in fewer fans at the Bedlam game next season. While it's not polite to beg, I beg to differ. Here's a business plan I'm contemplating.

• Buy Oklahoma State season FB tickets
• Sell the season opener game (Missouri State!) to unsuspecting Pokes fan for face value.
• Scalp the game against Troy to a Trojan fan. They'll be expecting to extend their dominance over the Pokes, so I'm sure they'll pay top dollar.
• Sell the Cash Machine U game tickets to Aggie fans.
• Give the Baylor/Okie State tix to my pastor, claim as charitable donation on 2008 tax return.
• Sell Iowa State tickets to Boone State fan. It's homecoming. Personal observation is homecoming events are big at schools where the football team stinks.
• Donate Houston / OSU tix to Big Brothers.
• Sell OU tickets to Sooner fan for top dollar.

Serioiusly, someone (or someones) will be crazy enough to do the above. I think the Pokes have just given up home field advantage. Time will tell.

Sooners defeat Boone State, 64-61

Sooners beat the Pokes tonight, so I'm delighted to share this with you.

Bedlam Motivational Poster

Monday night is the big game against Boone State, when the Pokes come to Norman for a Big Monday event. In honor of the rivalry, I've created a little motivational poster. While it has more of a football slant, because it's Boone State, I'm revealing it anyway.

Sooners Slay Bears

The Sooners hoops team downed Baylor in Waco yesterday. Blake Griffin - Oklahoma basketball's version of Tim Tebow - healed himself from a 4 week ligament injury in only 12 days and returned to the court Saturday, bringing 17 points and 15 boards along with him.

Longar Longar continues to be a monster. It's amazing what happens when you actually coach BASKETBALL PRACTICE, as opposed to rebounding drills and exhortations to "be tough". Longar led the team in assists with 4, had 13 points and 5 boards.

Alum Update - Joey Mickey

Jenni Carlson probably made Coach Hair Gel upset again today by writing a human interest story on former Sooner and Dallas Cowboy TE Joey Mickey. Check it out, it's interesting how Mickey has made a difference by counseling those with criminal backgrounds.

Maybe he could open up a shop in Austin to help the Longhorn offenders?

Shameless Plug

The College Football Blog Award voting is in process. You can vote for us there. Or someone else. It's a free country and all.

Today's Post Sponsored by...

Indiana University. Thanks for taking him off our hands. Hat tip to the fols at The Meaningful Collateral, where I found this gem today.

Congrats to the Baylor Bears

the Baylor Mens BB team appears to be for real this year, and I must acknowledge this for the Bear fans that "invest" their time at landthieves. They just finished beating Cash Machine U at College Station, in a 5 OT game. No TV here in the Dallas area for the game. It'll probably be an instant classic on WBAP radio.

We'll see if the Sooners can't fare better at the Ferrell Center on Saturday.

Who's the Best #14

Mike Babb (DB, 76-79) - biggest moment I recall was recovering onside kick in OU's come from behind victory in 1977 over Ohio State. Babb died during a surgery in 1982 after sustaining an injury in an alumni game.

John Connor (98-99) - limited playing time as a Sooner, but as you can see here, was only in his early teens at the time. Clearly with lots of post Sooner upside, he is poised to be the leader of the Human Rebellion.

Josh Heupel - (QB, 99-00) All-American as a Sr, led the Sooners to 14-0 perfect season in 2000. Held most passing records for the Sooners, in spite of being a JuCo transfer until Jason White got his Ph.D. at OU in football.

Derrick White (DB, 84-87)- I remember Derrick as the DB that kept chasing Michael Irvin into the end zone. A few other folks ended up chasing Irvin, whether it was DBs or the po-po. White was a 7th round pick of the Minnesota Vikings.

Rod Pegues (QB, 78-82) - chosen by the New Jersey Generals in USFL's 1983 territorial draft. So he's got that going for him, which is nice. No mention of Mr. Pegues in the Sooner record book.

Hunter Wall - (QB, 01-02) - QB from Coppell, America. Was kicked off team after redshirt freshman season. Highlight of the short career was 33 yard TD pass reception off of a fake punt against Kansas State in 2001. It was a genius call by Stoops that I cannot find on YouTube. Wall was kicked off the team in fall of 2002.

Sam Bradford - (QB, 06-present) led nation in passing efficiency as a redshirt freshman in 07and broke My Little Pony's record for most TD passes by a freshman.

Motivational Posters

I found a slick tool out there on the good old internet - Al Gore invented the most diabolical vehicle for time wasting ever - for making motivational posters. Here is our first one.

Recruiting Violations at Florida?

Yesterday the Wizard of Odds posted a juicy item about Florida coach Urban Meyer. Seems Urbie may have lured a recruit to Florida by helping recruit the player's girl to come to Florida on a gymnastics scholarship. It really helped that the girl was actually a gymnast.


While some of our readers may be surprised - dare I say shocked - at such a thing going on, I can assure you that back in Switzer's day, if Switzer found out a recruit had a gymnast for a girlfriend, he would have contacted her. I'm sure several items would have come up during the scholarship offer. If you know what I mean. And I think you do.

New Math, the Boone State way...

By Senior Editor in Charge Joe Huff

Today, while perusing the interwebs looking for something to blog about, I came across the golden nugget that is the Boone State football records book. I landed there after perusing the Boone State web site and trying to find when exactly OSU won 10 conference championships in football (answer: 9 of them were prior to my birth in 1966). Never mind the fact that the link to page 6 takes you to page 4 of the record book, my favorite part is 'Passing Yards in a Season'. My picture taking abilities notwithstanding, you see rated first, Josh Fields with 3,146 yards and then 2,494 the following year. In the listing, that is followed by Coach Hair Gel's sophomore through senior campaigns, where Gundy progressed from 2,106 yards to 2,203 yards. The puzzling part is that Bobby Reid's sophomore campaign, where Reid threw for 2,266 yards, is listed as sixth in the record book, right behind the 2,106 (?) for Gundy in 1987, and just ahead of the 1,571 Tony Pounds threw for in 1970.

It would seem to this reporter that with Gundy being a 40 year old male, he should be able to handle the news that Reid's sophomore season was actually ranked third.

Oklahoma Sooners Playing in Super Bowl

Interesting fact o' the day. There are no Sooners on the roster of either Super Bowl team. I then went to the conference championship game rosters per espn.com. Still no Sooners.

There are 124 colleges represented - and two players list no colleges - on the rosters of the conference finalists. However, no Sooners. 30 Sooners are listed on NFL rosters, but none on those 4 teams. Shippensbury University - home of the Raiders - has two alumni on the Packers team, and 32 colleges have 3 or more represented.

I don't know what that means, I'm just sayin'...

LandThieves Book Review

By Senior Editor in Charge Joe Huff

Merrill Hoge’s new book ‘Vince Young is an Idiot” will be available in stores this week. We here at LandThieves were able to secure an advance copy here and have a review.

ESPN NFL Analyst Merrill Hoge has collected transcripts of all of his tirades, whether on ESPN or through comments in newspapers - most recently after the firing of Norm Chow, who writes the foreword, and added additional narratives and insight into his distaste for Mr. Young.

If you recall, there was quite a bit of debate as to whether Young would be a viable NFL QB. This started during the insufferably long predraft season, and Hoge was quick to jump on the ‘Vince is awful’ bandwagon. There was a widely reported rumor that Vince scored a 6 on the Wonderlic test. In the book, Hoge recounted a behind the scenes story from an NFL scout who told that when Vince was first told he had to take a Wonderlic test, Vince showed up with a cigar, bottle of champagne and wearing nothing but a satin robe. He was quite dismayed to find out he actually needed a pencil.

Hoge continues to take VY to task over his passing stats. Hoge even compares Young to Chicago Bears whipping boy rex Grossman. "Over the past two years, Grossman is 387-705, 27 TDs and 27 INTs and 14 fumbles. Young is 422-739 for 21 TDs and 30 INTs and 22 fumbles. Rex lost his job, but VY is considered a hero and a winner. I just don't get it."

Hoge has been quoted as saying that Vince can’t run as fast as Vick, isn't quick, and makes poor decisions. I found it odd for a media personality such as Mr. Hoge to devote such negative energy toward one player. Hoge played football at Idaho State. I could understand this if he were a Sooner or a Texas Aggie. Maybe it’s the concussions?

Finally, I thought the story of behind the cover of the book was interesting, to quote the book, “Well, many Texas fans would see this and say that Vince Young is flashing the Hook ‘em Horns sign here. However, the Disney folks had actually set me up with an exclusive interview with Vince when he was at Disneyland for a Rose Bowl function. One of the questions I asked him was, ‘You struggled with the offense your first year or so of college, and Coaches Brown and Davis simplified the offense for you. How many plays do you know how to run.’ Vince didn’t say anything; he just lifted up two fingers.’”

Sooners Win!

What a shocker. I figured between the loss of Blake Griffin to injury and Keith Clark to academics, the Sooners were "done for". They looked some kind of ugly in the first half, but rebounded to defeat Texas Tech on Saturday afternoon in Norman. We know the Red Raiders are a good team, they beat Stephen F Austin earlier this year. Longar Longar has thrived under the tutelage of someone other than Kelvin Sampson, and Taylor Griffin played by far his best game of the year.

It remains to be seen how the Sooners will fare on the road in a tough Big 12 South, but they'll need to escape with a win or two away from Lloyd Noble to capture the attention of the NCAA selection committee.

2008 FB Schedule released

by LandThieves Editor in Charge, Joe Huff

The Sooners announced their 08 schedule the other day. Here's a quick preview.

• Aug 30 - UT-Chattanooga - reeling after TO's departure, the final nail in the Mossacin's coffin was the departure of Flower Mound Marcus Marauder Chris Sanders. Should be 100 degrees for the game. Pretty sure the Sooners start out with a W here.
• Sep 6 - Cincinnati - I'm not sure when the Sooners first scheduled this game, but they probably weren't expecting this to be a formidable foe when they put this one on paper. The Bearcats finished the year 10-3 in 2007. They lost to West Virginia 28-23. They lose their starting QB, Ben Mauk (xfer from Wafe Forest). The Sooners play well at home, so I'm predicting a W in this one.
• Sep 13 - at Washington - Husky boosters are offering money to fire Willingham. The Sooners were threatening last year to back out of the game due to atrocious Pac 10 officiating. Oh, and there'll be a football game. Jake Locker will be healthy, and hopefully the Sooners will ahve a secondary by then. The Sooners are no great shakes on the road, but I expect the Huskies to continue to do nothing, and the Sooners will get a W here.
• Sep 27 - TCU - fortunately, we have two weeks to prepare for the Horned Frogs. TCU dominated the Sooners in Norman in 05; we'll see if the Sooners can avenge the defeat. The early draft departures have really depleted the Sooners. If TCU figures out how to utilize Andy Dalton, or Marcus Jackson figures out how to throw, the Sooners are in for a battle here.
• Oct 4 - at Baylor - the Sooners travel to Waco to introduce themselves to Art Briles aerial circus. Sooners are 17-0 against Baylor, and I don't expect that streak to stop in 2008.
• Oct 11 - Texas in Dallas - this one is always interesting, and 08 shouldn't be any different. The Longhorn O-line will be more experienced in 08, and if Mack and Major can keep the kids out of jail over the summer, the Horns could get a W here.
• Oct 18 - Kansas - this is not your father's Kansas football team.
• Oct 25 - at Kansas State - the Wildcats have been Jekyll and Hyde under Ron Prince.
• Nov 1 - Nebraska - I doubt Pellini will refer to the Sooners as #@!$#! Hillbillies. I also doubt Bo will be able to turn the Bugeaters around in a year.
• Nov 8 - at Texas A&M - this has been a tough place to play for the Sooners. The Cash Machines have a new coach in Mike Sherman. He may decide to get the ball to Mike Goodson, and that could be trouble.
• Nov 15 - Texas Tech - the LandThieves will get a chance for payback against the Dust Pirates. With an entirely new secondary, they may not get it.
• Nov 29 - at Boone State - this will be the Pokes bowl game.With the casinos nearby in Pawnee, it's just like Shreveport.

I'm not bright enough to break each element of the game down, but with the Sooners losses on D, I can't imagine them really being ranked in the Top 5 like the early 2008 prognosticators have. Personally, I expect the Sooners to go 9-3, and win the Cotton or Holiday bowl.There are several games that pose challenges for the Sooners: Cincy, TCU, Texas, Kansas, at K-State, at A&M, hosting TT and traveling to Boone state. I just don't see a lot of gimmes there.

Some Coaching Moves

The Sooners hired the Head Visor's college buddy Jay Norvell as co-offensive coordinator and receivers coach, filling the spot vacated by Kevin Sumlin's departure for the Houston Cougs HC job. This puzzles me a bit. I understand hiring the college bud a little bit, but I just don't think a resume that has the most recent stops as working for Bill Callahan and Karl Dorrell really makes me go "wow!'. I don't have any better ideas...

And neither does Mack Brown. Mack hired Major Applewhite away from Bama, naming him Assistant Head Coach and Running Backs coach. Scuttlebutt in Tuscaloosa implies Major was overmatched as OC in the SEC. That may be true, but working on Nick Saban's staff is never going to make 'Top 100 Places to work". I anticipate Chris Simms being named Associate Head Coach next week.

Kansas D Coordinator Bill Young left the Jayhawks for a similar position at the U of Miami. Tough trade, Lawrence, KS for Coral Gables. Young was the D coordinator at OU the first two years of Blake's ill fated tenure, and served at Ohio State before that. They couldn't beat the SEC then, either.

Jessica Simpson's Cowboy Romance

The number nine jersey was pink

To me Tony Romo you link

You're all nincompoops

I'm after Mitch Hoopes

It's his bathwater I'd drink

Baylor QB Update

There's an old joke about a Sooner moving to Texas and improving the IQ of both states. That joke came to mind when I read this morning that Kirby Freeman enrolled at Baylor and has one year of eligibility remaining. But seriously folks, Freeman was a highly touted recruit way back when, and I'm not sure he received the best instruction at the U that last four years. If Briles can coach him into a servicable QB for the Bears - or coach up one of the existing QBs in the mix, based upon how they looked last year - he will be worth more than the money the B is paying him.

Basketball Reviews

The Sooners got abused by the Jayhawks 85-55 in Lawrence last evening. The game was not as close as the score indicated. Blake Griffin sprained his MCL four minutes into the game and will be out up to four weeks. I think they could have only last by 20 if BG would have stayed healthy. The last time the Sooners beat Kansas in Lawrence was 1993. That's right, Alexander Graham Bell NEVER beat the Jayhawks in Lawrence. Other things from January 1993...Bill Clinton inaugurated as 42nd President...Dallas Cowboys defeat Buffalo Bills for their third Super Bowl title...Alabama beat Miami in the Sugar Bowl to secure the National Championship, in one of my favorite non-Sooner college FB memories.


The Womens BB team was dominated by the Boone State Cowgirls on Saturday. 'twas the first time the Sooner girls lost to OSU since 1999, covering seventeen games. Only one of the games since then was a single digit W. It was such a momentous occasion that Pistols Firing has a limerick about the Boone State W.

New Ohio State Logo Revealed

Saw this over at http://georgiasports.blogspot.com and thought I would share.

Who's the Best #13?

Eric Bassey (DB, 2002-05) - game clinching fumble return against Alabama in 2003. Was supposed to be the next Roy Williams. Played more like Cowboy Roy than Sooner Roy.
Mike Knall (P, 2006-07)
R.D. Lashar (K, 1987-90) - finished career 2nd all time points scorer at LandThieves U, behind some dude named Steve Owens
Damien Mackey (DB/WR, 1999-2001) - concussions sidelined Mackey. Friends with Roy Williams, and was the reason Roy came to Norman. Caught 62 balls for 652 yards and 5 scores.
Steve Sewell (WR/RB, 1981-84) - versatile player who led the Sooners in all-purpose yards his senior year; 5th highest game total of all purpose yards in 84 against KSU, Sewell had over 100 yards rushing and receiving in the game and totalled 295. I believe he's the only person to achieve that as a Sooner; 2nd highest total of receiving yards for a RB, behind Quentin Griffin. Sewell played in a supremely talented backfield, which included Buster Rhymes, Marcus Dupree and Stanley Wilson, Played in the NFL for the Denver Broncos.
Terrance White (DB, 1994-98) 16th in career tackles by a DB.

Guy Morriss's next gig...

has not yet been determined. Many of you Baylor fans are sure to spend your days and nights following old Bear coaches. Well, seems like GuyMo, as our friend President Red Andrews called him, was contemplating an offer to become the Head ball coach at Boyle County High in Kentucky, but has declilned. Seems like the team liked to get High (#16), but that was negated by a Priest (#74) and a Mormon (#75) on the squad.

A Time Waster Like No Other

I came across the College Football Victory Chainlinker somewhere on the internets the other day and thought I would pass it along. For example, if you want to 'prove' that the 2007 Illinois State Redbirds could beat the Oklahoma Sooners, you find that:

Illinois St beat
Youngstown St who beat
South Dakota St who beat
North Dakota St who beat
Central Michigan who beat
Toledo who beat
Iowa St who beat
Colorado who beat
Oklahoma

I even demonstrated that in 2000, Abilene Christian University could beat Florida State.
It's a great tool for wasting time and creating confusion with arguments about college football. Enjoy!

Real Basketball Season Begins

Today the real live basketball season begins. No more Gardner Webbs, Findlays, or Stephen F Austins. Here is the schedule strength rating of each of the Men's Big 12 teams, per Sagarin.

Phog U - 241
Texas - 100
Cash Machine U - 305
Sooners - 215
Baylor - 300
Nebraska - 341
Kansas State - 245
Missouri - 224
Texas Tech - 169
Boone State - 210
Iowa State - 284
Colorado - 279

The Sooners have played 5 games against the top 50 per Sagarin, but managed to schedule enough cupcakes in the other 10 games to have the 215th hardest schedule. Most of the big schools are guilty of these shenanigans. It's a way to get to those 20 wins and stake a claim to the tourney, but it doesn't always work.

Sagarin's ratings consider the Big 12 the second most difficult conference this season, and the Sooners are rated 27th. Let's hope that stays there, or improves.

You Don't have to outrun the bear...

Congrats to Cliburn, who won the prestigous LandThieves bracket of the Bowl Pick 'em game at espn.com. The prize for such a feat is knowing you beat the largest field in LandTheives contest history. He beat a prestigious field to take the title. I'll be searching for a rematch in March for the NCAA playoffs. And if i ever get around to finishing t-shirts, those will be at stake, too.

NCAA Announces Preliminary Investigation at UCLA

The NCAA Committee on Infractions has announced a preliminary investigation into recruiting practices at UCLA. According to a report obtained by LandThieves Press, the recruiting violations started immediately after Rick Neuheisel's press conference was completed. Neuheisel, who considers himself "thankful to be five years older than Troy Aikman, or I would have never seen the field", starred at UCLA in the early 80s. As a coach Neuheisel led both Colorado and Washington programs to new levels of NCAA investigations that they had not seen before.


UCLA Athletic Director Dan Guerrero responded to the allegations. "Rick doesn't even have a phone yet. He hasn't done anything."


This reporter inquired further into rumors that Neuheisel's staff will include Jackie Sherrill and Lou Holtz. Guerroro replied, "I can't comment on rumors like that. I can tell you that Coach Holtz hasn't been accused of a single recruiting violation in three years, and Coach Sherrill has been clean for at least four years. I also can't comment on whether Jimmy Johnson has accepted the role of Director of Compliance."

To Fans of the Big 10 Conference and College Football, Part Two

My dearest fans,

Many of you have inquired about my thoughts regarding last night's "Championship" game between The Ohio State University and the Louisiana State University for Remedial Learners. Many wanted an update from my previous letter. There has been quite a bit written today about LSU's dominance on the floor of the Superdome last night. In response to these commentaries, I still believe it is premature for us to lower our admission standards. For example, many people saw this picture in their local paper today.

While many see this picture as an LSU player celebrating for the photographers, I believe this "athlete-student" is asking an Ohio State student-athlete to read the paper's headline to him. Clearly this troubled, underprivileged youth is reaching out to the Buckeye football team to help him with his illiteracy.

We here at the Big 10 Conference will continue to hold our universities to the highest of academic standards, so that each year we might help another foe read a newspaper proclaiming them national champion.

Making a difference one student at a time,

Jim Delaney

Looking Ahead to 2008

Amidst all the weeping and gnashing of teeth about the Sooners bowl woes of late, let's take a moment to look at the coming year.


Returning Starters:

Offense: 8. Malcolm Kelly just declared for the NFL draft. He can catch anything, and we wish him well. We also lose Joe Jon Finley and Allen Patrick. These two guys have been great contributors for the Sooners, but they've also just taken reps from Jermaine Gresham and DeMarco Murray. So, IMO, that's effectively 10 starters returning. Not a real problem there. If I may digress, Colt McCoy suffered more than anyone expected during his sophomore year primarily because he lost three lineman to the NFL. Barring an ill-advised early declaration for the draft, the Sooners will return all 5 o-line starters, and as a result, I don't anticipate Bradford suffering from the sophomore slump.

Defense: 7. We take some shots on defense. We lose D-lineman Alonzo Dotson, LB Lewis Baker, DBs Marcus Walker and DJ Wolfe. If Granger gets out of the doghouse - I mean big house -, we should return a very good defensive line. Clearly, Curtis Lofton will need some help at LB (Ryan Reynolds will be year two after knee surgery, so that should help). In the defensive backfield, the Sooners will be young next year. Assuming Reggie Smith returns, that leaves Reggie and Nic Harris as the elder statesmen of the group. Harris as your seasoned DB scares me. I love the intensity and the way he hits, but I also believe that he epitomizes the challenges that the Sooner D seems to have in big games of late...the unchanneled intensity results in overpursuit, poor tackle angles, and an overzealousness toward stuffing the run that leaves the back of the field exposed unnecessarily.

Special Teams: The Sooners lose PK Garrett Hartley, as well as one of the punters, Mike Cohen. Coehn was the stronger of the two punters (Knall was the short field punter). Hartley will most likely be replaced by budding gymnast Jimmy Stevens, a 5-5, 147 lb behemoth from Heritage Hall HS in Oklahoma City who was a Parade All American. Allen Patrick was one of our kick returners, but when Murray was healty, Murray split time with Iglesias, and both return.

Coaching: For now, the Sooners have only lost Kevin Sumlin, Co-Offensive coordinator and WR coach. A replacement for Sumlin or reshuffling of the coaching staff has not been announced. Many internet pundits are stumping for Heupel to take another step up. This may be premature, and it also doesn't solve your need to have someone to be the position coach for the WRs. IMO, the Heupel's time can best be served by continuing to coach and mentor Halzle, Bradford, and Nichol. Many folks are stumping for the staff to be shaken up after another poor bowl showing, but who are you going to get rid of? Who's the problem? We can't bring in Bo Pelini now, and while Kevin Cosgrove is available, I don't think we want him. B Orange mentioned Mack Brown asking other coaches about their bowl prep, and that it's tough to see Stoops doing that. I find it difficult for the LandThieves crystal ball to project a clear image of the HeadVisor going around Visor in hand asking other folks about how they prepare for games. I do think Stoops is enough of a competitor that he'll rethink it in some form or fashion.

Here's a small sampling of the way too early projections for 2008, as far as Oklahoma goes:
Stewart Mandel, SI.com, 3rd.
Mark Schlaback, espn.com, 2nd

Ok, I didn't think it was going to be that small. Didn't find anything on the MSNBC site or the Sportsline site; USA Today sez we'll be "in the mix" for the national title.

A genius on MSNBC, a gent named John Tamanaha wrote, while predicting Ohio State would be in the national champ game, "you’d be hard pressed to find a returning group better than quarterback Todd Boeckman, tailback Chris “Beanie” Wells and wide receivers Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline." Well, I would take Sam Bradford, DeMarco Murray and two members of the Spirit Squad, for starters. Since Quentin Chaney and J Iglesias are already on the team, I'll stick with them, I guess.

First Annual Landthieves College Football Awards

A lot of organizations and media types give their end of season awards in early December, but they haven't even played 32 bowl games at that point. So we waited.

Ramonce Taylor Award for Criminal Mischief - Rashaan Norwood, Kansas State. There were several notable nominees from Texas, as well as Ryan Broyles managing to steal his way into a redshirt year and DeMarcus Granger releasing a coat on its own recognizance in Phoenix, but I decided I had to go with Norwood. Two arrests in one day just shows that ability to take your game to the next level that many don't display.
Best Game Plan in an Embarrassing Loss, sponsored by the Joe Dickinson Foundation- Ron English, Michigan vs Appalachian State.
Worst Defensive Performance in a Bowl Game, sponsored by Kevin Cosgrove - (tie) Oklahoma Sooners vs West Virginia, Bowling Green vs Tulsa. I would have given this to the Falcons on the sheer numbers, but their offense gave Tulsa several short fields. West Virginia had to "earn" their 48 points.
Best Sideline Apparel by a Head Coach - Mark Mangino, Kansas vs Texas A&M
Outstanding Donor Correspondence, sponsored by Bad Idea Jeans - Dennis Franchione, the VIP Connection.
John Blake Award for Shuffling Quarterbacks in a Season - Guy Morriss, Baylor. Didn't really work that well for him either. There's that old saying that says, "If you have two quarterbacks, you don't have any." New saying, "If you have five quarterbacks, you have a lot of free time in your future."
Seth Littrell Award for Slow White Guy Scoring a TD - Owen Schmitt, West Virginia vs Oklahoma
Jerry Rice Clutch Grab of the Year - Allen Mike Beckett, Oklahoma City.
Worst Tackling Technique - Lance Brandenburgh, Nebraksa vs Missouri.
Muhammed Saeed al-Sahaf Award for Excellence in Media Relations - Mike Gundy, Oklahoma State vs Jenni Carlson
LandThieves Player of the Year Award - John David Weed, Baylor. JDW did not get to play much this year, but I had a lot of fun at his expense. I believe the combination of new Baylor coach Art Briles and a little bit of Weed will ignite the Baylor offense in 2008.

National Championship Limerick

A title chase is magical
New Orleans is a spectacle
Will the Tigers rise
To beat the Buckeyes?
Les Miles is a big testicle

GMAC Bowl Limerick

The Tulsa Golden Hurricane
Has plans to inflict some pain.
But Bowling Green State
Has won four bowls straight
They might continue their reign.

International Bowl Limerick

Scarlet Knights versus the Cards
I don't know the names of the guards
I don't give a crap
You should take a nap
This matchup is tough for bards

National Championships

Courtesy of research over at wikipedia, here are the active D-1A coaches who have won a national championship:

Howard Schnellenberger, 1983
Joe Paterno, 1986
Dennis Erickson, 1989 and 1991
Bobby Bowden, 1993 and 1999
Steve Spurrier, 1996
Phil Fulmer, 1998
Bob Stoops, 2000
Nick Saban, 2003
Pete Carroll, 2004
Mack Brown, 2005
Urban Meyer, 2006

Getting to that second one puts you in rare company.

Ray Gundy's Blackberry

searching text messages across the globe, I was able to locate this message. More info on Pistols Firing!

Orange Bowl Limerick

Rock Chock Jayhawk takes on Hokies
There’ll be an absence of Okies
We’re licking our wounds
And listening to tunes
'cause last night we were Chokies.

Couple More West Virginia Items

Congrats to Bill Stewart and WV for promoting from within. Stewart certainly looked more than capable last night, though big time donor Ken Kendrick has his doubts. West By God Virginia is optimistic, but appears to have some doubts. It's a little natural to be a bit reserved on the unproven assistant getting a promotion thing.


Second, here's an interesting item on the RR lawsuit. I've been following that with a little bit of morbid fascination and haven't commented on it. I'm rooting hard for WV to win this. I think if the coaches - whether it's RR or our own HeadVisor - want the security of the multi-million dollar long term deal, millions more thrown into facilities, free tix for coaches and books for kids so that every obstacle is paved over so they can recruit, the coaches need to abide by their end of the deal also.

Now back to work.

At Least we beat 'em in Basketball...

First of all, congrats to the Mountaineers. They played the better game tonight and there was no question about the outcome.

On to various thoughts I had during the game.

• If I never saw another Prison Break preview, I would be fine.
• The sideline reporter was wearing WVU colors, which I thought was a nice touch.
• Fox is awful doing college sports. The teams in the booth have no chemistry. There should be some sort of requirement of the BCS broadcasters that they use teams that have worked together throughout the season. I'd never heard of the dude doing play-by-play. I've seen Donahue do studio work. Pat Haden, lackey for NDBC, hadn't seen that much offense all year.
• OU has an All-American left guard, Duke Robinson, flanked by a 350 pound mountain named Phil Loadholt. We ran right ALL NIGHT. I don't know who is on that side of the 'eer defense, or if they were just loading up that side to force us to the right, but it worked.
• The onside kick was not a good call. Completely killed the momentum...we'd had two three and outs defensively to start the half. WVU's onside recovery not only recovered the ball, but it recovered the momentum and OU never got it back.
• I've begun to despise two point conversions. I disagreed with both choices.
• The Sooners alloweed 349 yard rushing. 8.9 yards per carry. Even if you take out the 4TD runs totalling 169 yards, the 'eers gained 4 per carry on the other 35 runs.
• The Sooners have now lost four straight BCS games.
• Stoops teams just don't play the favorite that well. I don't know why, but if the opposition says something to disprespect the Sooners, or if the foes higher ranked, Stoops can work with that. But an underdog that keeps their mouth shut seems to end up with the advantate.
• I thought Brody Eldridge made a phenomenal catch, but it didn't matter.
• The Sooners had 13 penalties for 115 yards. That's unbelieavable. Several of the penalties negated positive plays. I'd love to say the refs jobbed us, but there were at least two blatant holding calls that the stripes missed.
• Quentin Chaney played well tonight, subbing for an injured Malcolm Kelly.
• I thought Devine's two TD scampers were where I saw the impact most clearly of an injured Reggie Smith and an ineligible Lendy Holmes. Both times DBs overran the play and allowed Devine to cut back for scores. That young man is talented, you don't need to help him out like that.
• As poorly as the Sooners played in the first half, I thought they were in good shape to be down ONLY 20-6 at half. I thought it could have easily been more than that. And it was later.
• The Sooners are 1-3 at the Fiesta Bowl, with their last victory coming in 1976. Old timers will remember the loss in 82 to the Sun Devils. Marcus Dupree was running wild until he pulled a hamstring/blew a tire.
• The Sooners have been notoriously slow starters in bowl games of late. The last time the Sooners led at halftime of a bowl game was 2002 at the Rose Bowl against Washington State.

Fiesta Bowl Preview - we have a coach and you don't

Meth labs: Oklahoma
Moonshine Production: West Virginia
Suing former coaches for millions: West Virginia
Embracing past coaches who brought us years of probation: Oklahoma

Overall Edge: Oklahoma. West Virginia, aside from the moonshine thing, seems to be a fairly law abiding place. You can’t win like that people! West Virginia thinks coaches should honor contracts. Oklahoma thinks tables should be elevated, so it’s easier to pass payments under them.

Official football elements review:
Running game: West Virginia. Sooners will be hampered somewhat by Granger’s bus ride.
Passing game: Oklahoma. Bradford is the leading passer in the country. West Virginia’s pass defense is ranked 12th in the country. The best passing attack the Mountaineers faced this year was…Marshall.
Defense: Oklahoma. West Virginia allows fewer points, and gives up fewer yards. They’ve also only played one team with a top 25 offense. OU has played four games against top 10 offenses. The WV defense does a good job of creating turnovers. Which may help them stay in this game.
Intangibles: Oklahoma. We have a head coach and you don’t.

Prediction: Sooner W.

Fiesta Bowl Limerick

DeMarcus got a bus ride home
‘Cause he ventured out of a dome
Dude needed a coat
For less than a c-note
He’s going where Greyhounds roam

Landthieves Year in Review

Many blogs and sites have posted "Year In Review" comments this week. Today, I give you the LandThieves year in Review. My year in review starts in July, as that's when the blog started. As an additional twist, it's not of the events that happened but more the events that didn't happen, as a result of the new hobby of blogging. So I present to you, the LandTheives Year in Review of things that did not happen.

• Kept up with my personal finances
• Exercised
• Spent time with my daughters
• Spent time with my wife
• Read the Bible more regularly
• Slept
• Finished that back yard deck project
• Figured out that lack of electricity in the storage shed thing
• Cleaned my office
• Fixed my 9.5 foot basketball goal
• Got Christmas cards out on time

Happy New Year to All!

Sugar Bowl Limerick

The undefeated Rainbows
Weren't invited to the Rose
Some folks think that's bad
But I'm kinda glad.
They haven't played many good foes.

Rose Bowl Limerick

Illini travel to the Rose
Trojans will win, everyone knows
John David Booty
Has QB duty
by the fourth quarter, you will dose

Capital One Bowl Limerick

the last game coached by Lloyd Carr
Is the start for Double R
The Florida Gators
Win sooner than later
Tim Tebow will be the star.

Gator Bowl Limerick

Red Raider QB Harrell
Doesn't look like Steve Carrell
In the bowl near the sea
He'll pass through the Cavs D
Like shooting fish in a barrell

Cotton Bowl Limerick

The Tale of Darren McFadden
Starts with a wish from Aladdin
A new Escalade
From wishes he made
Now there's a genie in Madden

Outback Bowl Limerick

Vols travel to Tampa-St Pete
It's there the Badgers they'll meet.
The Outback Bowl game
Was called Hall of Fame
The 10 am start can't be beat.